SLC7A11 and hyperuricemia: For instance, cigarette tar has been shown to increase plaque area by activating NF-κB, which upregulates hepcidin while downregulating the ferroptosis regulators SLC7A11 and GPX4, ultimately promoting macrophage ferroptosis and plaque expansion (76) Similarly, hyperuricemia significantly downregulates SLC7A11 and GPX4 expression in plaques, promoting macrophage ferroptosis and aggregation, which contributes to increased plaque area (77).